Every time you stop by a gasoline station or oil refilling stations, you notice the drops of oil on the concrete floor underneath where you park your car. This type of mess is unavoidable for these places, since plenty of people manage to cause spills whenever they refill their cars. Unfortunately, you have the same problem on your driveway or in front of your home. If you own a car, oil stains are an inevitable problem you'll always have to face. Stains from brake fluid, motor oil, power steering fluid and transmission fluid are just a few kinds you have to deal with. They can occur because of numerous factors, like when you accidentally spill oil while cleaning your car, or when your car or another vehicle leaks onto the concrete. Oil stains on your pavement and driveway don't look pleasing, and they can be destructive. For example, if your paving is made from asphalt, grease or gasoline can actually eat into and dissolve it. The best way to save your pavement from the annoying and damaging spills is to clean them up as soon as you can. There are several ways you can do this.

Emulsify With Soap And Water

You'll be surprised at how a little soap and water can take away the unpleasant looking oil stains in an instant. Remember what they say that, whenever you put bacon grease down the drain, you have to add soap and water, so it'll not congeal into a solid and harm the drain lines? The same concept works on car oil and pavement. To remove the grease, you have to emulsify it. To start, squirt some liquid dish soap onto the oil stain, and add water from your garden hose. Using a scrub brush, or a push broom, scrub the affected area, to create emulsion. Usually, the oil comes off easily. Rinse with clean water after most of the old has been emulsified. If, however, you see a rainbow discoloration while you're rinsing, it means there's still some grease left, so you need to add more soap and scrub again. Keep repeating this, and soon your pavement and driveway will be free of the nasty-looking oil stain.

Blot Them Up

The best way to get rid of oil spills is to immediately pay them attention, as soon as you see them form. Letting a greasy or oily puddle on your pavement stay for longer makes it seep and soak into the surface, until it's permanently bonded and stained. To avoid this from happening, blot up as much oil as you can. Use paper towels, cleaning rags, newspaper and old terrycloth towels to clean the mess. Allow them to soak as much oil as they can. When you're done, dispose of the materials you use properly. Being soaked in oil may cause a spontaneous combustion and start a fire. Gather all the towels and rags, then bring them to a recycle place as soon as you can. If you need to leave them overnight, put them outside, at a safe distance from the house.

The Kitty Litter Tactic

This might sound absurd, even ineffective, but kitty litter is actually helpful when getting rid of oil stains on your pavement. Kitty litter has a deodorizer and absorbent clay that draws in moisture, making it clump up. When your cat urinates in the litter box, the urine clumps up, and you can easily throw away the clumps. The same principle works for oil. It can absorb excess grease and oil in an instant, preventing the stain from getting worse. To do this, spread some kitty litter all over the affected surfaces. You can use the push broom for sweeping the garage driveway and floor, to stir the litter back and forth. Allow the kitty litter to stay there for a while, and absorb as much liquid as possible. When you think it's already absorbed enough, sweep up all the litter and throw it away properly.

Use A Solvent

There are instances when oil spills are left untreated for a long time, causing them to become absorbed in the concrete. It becomes thick, losing some of its lighter weight components, and eventually becomes difficult to remove. The best way to remove it then, is to re-liquefy it using a hydrocarbon-based solvent, like paint thinner and kerosene. Add small amounts of the solvent onto the oil stains, and let them soak in the concrete. Scrub lightly, while blotting the liquid with paper towels. Keep doing this, until no more traces of the oil remains. The only downside of this method is that it's dangerous. The fumes can be ignited by a spark, even at a distance, and can travel across the garage floor. It can penetrate your clothes and skin. If you're not careful, you can ignite. Remember these considerations when using solvents for oil spills:

• Wear protective gear while working with solvents. Gloves and a mask will protect your skin and nose from the harmful fumes. Wear old disposable clothing, too.
• Ventilate the area where you're working.
• Stay away from open flames.
• Dispose the paper towels properly, by burning them in a safe place.

Preventing Oil Spills

Preventing oil spills involves less hassle than having to clean them up in the future. Although this is unavoidable when you have a car, you can minimize the amount of stains. Not only will this help you keep your territory look clean, but it'll also help avoid fire and combustion hazards from occurring. In some communities, for example, working on car engines in driveways or street parking lanes is prohibited. If you need to work on your car on the pavement or driveway, like adding coolant and antifreeze to the radiator or changing the oil, make sure to put protection underneath the car, to cover the surface where you're working on. A vinyl tarp is a good example. Drive on top if it, or spread it carefully under the vehicle. Another tip: when you're changing the oil in your car, make sure that your drip pan is big enough, so it'll catch every drop. Be very cautious when you move it, to avoid spills. Oil is very important to your vehicle, but for your pavement, it does nothing but harm. If you see oil stains all over your driveway or pavement, try these tactics to get rid of them. They will help bring back the spotless, neat look your place has.